The Uncrowned King eBook

And never did Really-Is neglect to make his offering
every morning in the temple sacred to the god Things-That-Ought-To-Be;
though in secret he worshiped there because of the
decree of Seemsto-Be. And no one told the false
ruler that his commandment was broken, nor spoke to
him the name of his brother Really-Is.

But after a while, as time passed by, things went
not so gaily with the impostor on the throne of Allthetime.
And it was the Crown that did it—­that wonderful
Magic Crown.

The Court Fool noticed it first and made a jest about
it, and Seemsto-Be laughed royally long and loud,
and all the Court laughed with him, for the fool,
Thinks-He-Is, is a most famous fool, the greatest that
has ever been since the Father of Fools was born.

Next, the Lord Chief High Chamberlain noticed, and
the Lord Chief High Chamberlain whispered to Seemsto-Be
a most portentous whisper. And the portentous
whisper of the Lord Chief High Chamberlain reached
the ears of the Chief First Officer of State; then
passed from Officer of State to Officer of State until
it reached the Chief Captain of the Guard, and soon
the soldiers of the royal army and even the royal servants
of the palace were whispering, whispering, whispering
about the strange affair.

Then it was that Seemsto-Be sent throughout the kingdom,
commanding in haste to the palace the most expert
workers in gems and the most cunning workers in gold
to be found in the Land of Allthetime.

It was true. The priceless jewels of the Magic
Crown were losing their brilliancy. The precious
gold of the Crown was becoming dull. Nor could
all the skill of the workers in gems, all the craft
of the workers in gold restore the beauty of the Crown
or keep its fading splendor.

And so the whispers grew louder and louder until the
people began to talk in low tones among themselves,
questioning, questioning one another of the meaning
of this thing. And at last the Royal Officers
of State began to look with distrust and fear upon
their ruler, who tried so hard to wear bravely his
crown of tarnished gold and lusterless gems; and the
soldiers came to look with doubt and fear upon the
officers, who whispered so among themselves; and the
people looked with suspicion and fear upon them all.

Without understanding, filled with dread and apprehension,
worn with wracking worry, poor Seemsto-Be sought with
honors, decorations, and distinguishing titles to
hold the fast-failing confidence of his court and
army, and with holidays more frequent, festivals more
gay, games more interesting, and parades more gorgeous,
tried to keep the waning loyalty of his people.

Now all this time, while the poor foolish pretender,
Seemsto-Be, was losing his power even as the beauty
of the Magic Crown was fading, King Really-Is lived
very quietly in his little house under the walls of
the abandoned temple, and never did he fail to make
his daily offering to his god, the god Things-That-Ought-To-Be.
And always when his brother Seemsto-Be with the fading
Crown upon his head, passed in gorgeous procession
of state, surrounded by his distrustful officers, doubting
soldiers and suspicious people, Really-Is smiled sadly
and whispered to himself: “Poor Seemsto-Be,
poor foolish one!”